Adoli eyes Tokyo as World Championships countdown begins

As the countdown to the World Athletics Championships—set for September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan—intensifies, Uganda’s top athletes are in a race against time, both literally and figuratively, to secure their place on the global stage.

Among them is 400m sprinter Haron Adoli, a rising star with the talent, ambition, and determination to make his dream a reality.

For Adoli, competing in Tokyo would mark more than a career milestone—it would be the defining moment of his journey as an athlete.

“What career can be defined without taking part in the World Athletics Championships?” he asks with quiet conviction.

To earn a spot at the Championships, Adoli must meet the qualifying standard of 44.85 seconds in the 400m before the qualification window closes on August 24. It's a high bar, but one he is determined to clear. His personal best of 45.72 seconds, set at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in April, has brought him closer than ever before.

“It was a good experience for me because I was competing with the best,” Adoli says, reflecting on his race in Gaborone. “I was up against athletes who have been to the Olympics and World Championships. That alone gave me confidence.”

The performance not only turned heads but also marked Adoli as a serious contender. Still, he knows there's work to be done—particularly in maintaining speed and form through the final stretch of the race.

“I still struggle with the last 10 metres. That’s where I feel my body fade,” he admits. “But I’m working on it. That’s what training is for.”

To Adoli, every race is a stepping stone—and he’s convinced that competing against top-tier talent is the key to unlocking his potential.

“If you compete with the best, you run the best times,” he says. “And if you look at my times in international events, they’re promising. The more competitive the event, the faster you run.”

With only a few months left before the qualification deadline, Adoli is gearing up to compete in more international meets across the continent and beyond. Each race, he says, brings him one step closer to Tokyo—and to the moment that could redefine his career.